Feeding Bees with Real Food

Read Kim Flottum's latest blog on providing the raw material for your honey bee colony — honey and pollen.

http://motherearthnewsmail.com/rd/9z1zu4nqqh4ree2uq89ju927jq1mitncbpsonvgfff0

I agree with the idea put forth in the article. Bees like all livestock do best on an appropriate pasture. Free range chickens, grass fed cattle, goats, etc. All are healthier when they gather their food from the field themselves. Bees (I am not yet a beemeeper, but one day would like to have a couple colonies on my place) would seem no different to me in their nutritional requirements. I do question the concept of being able to keep them going only to what is available on a given plot of land. Bees, as I understand their behavior, are foragers. They leave the hive and travel up to 2 miles searching for just the right food sources. So rather than drive around, looking for bee food, I would say walk. If you are in a city finding natural food sources for bees will be difficult. That is why (I think) you see bees attracted to partly emptied cola cans. They are gathering the sugars for foods. In more rural settings if you never see a bee, food sources are scarce, so I would think you should do your food planning and planting ahead of time. When you do start to see bees naturally showing up for a meal then is the time to consider getting your colony set up.

At least that is the way my little thinker sees it.

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

Keith, Bees fly out up to 6 miles. and you sure don't wont them to go out in freezing temps. they will die. you wont to feed your bees. they will put up most their store if you don't collect the honey or pollen. in the last 2 months. they can survive just fine. they lay wax and seal their home with wax. even moister, is not a problem if you let the bees take care of their own home. just think about it. bees in the wild, don't kneed are help. if we just leave them alone. long enough to make their home safe for winter. I would say don't ask humans how to keep bees, ask bees. they have the answer.